Friday, September 9, 2016

Stars and Stripes Forever

FDNY firefighters Daniel McWilliams and George Johnson, members of Brooklyn-based Ladder Company 157, and FDNY firefighter William Eisengrein, a childhood friend of McWilliams and a member of Brooklyn's Rescue 2, spent hours on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 searching through the rubble of the World Trade Center for survivors, both civilians and fellow members of the FDNY. It was a long and heartbreaking day.

However, at some point that day, as afternoon started to cede the stage to evening, these three men did something simple yet extraordinary.

FF George Johnson, FF Daniel McWilliams

& FF William Eisengrein (left to right)

Photo credit: Thomas Franklin, Bergen Record

Their story and the story of how it was that Thomas Franklin of the Bergen Record came to be where he was to capture this iconic image is a story that I found to be more than worthy of the time I invested in reading it. I commend it to your attention.

It has been said - at least once or twice - that every picture tells a story. In this particular story, even the flag has a story worth telling - and worth reading. Again, I commend this piece to your attention and anticipate that you shall find - as I did - that the time spent reading it was time well spent.

To the surprise of no one, the three FDNY firefighters who Franklin's lens happened to find at precisely the right moment, continued to spend their lives serving and protecting the people of the City of New York. As of September, 2014, William Eisengrein was still a member of Rescue 2 in Brooklyn with more than a quarter-century of service in the FDNY. His childhood friend, Dan McWilliams, had risen to the rank of Lieutenant and was assigned to Battalion 37 in Brooklyn. George Johnson had attained the rank of Battalion Chief and was, too, working in Brooklyn.

About Me

I am constrained to point out - whether you are a first-time visitor or not - that the opinions expressed here are those of the author. They are mine and I alone am responsible for them. Thus, if something that appears here engenders discontentment, direct your ire towards me.
Am where I have been since I first met and fell in love with Margaret a quarter-century ago: NTSG here in the heart of the State of Concrete Gardens. Other than four great years spent a lifetime ago on Colorado's Front Range as I shuffled off to be a Buffalo, I have lived in Jersey my entire life. I was born here. I live here. And it is reasonable to presume that I shall die here. Albeit at a time and in a manner certain to disappoint some....at least.